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In vivo studies of aquaporins 3 and 10 in human stratum corneum

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Abstract

Aquaporins (AQPs) constitute one family of transmembrane proteins facilitating transport of water across cell membranes. Due to their specificity, AQPs have a broad spectrum of physiological functions, and for keratinocytes there are indications that these channel proteins are involved in cell migration and proliferation with consequences for the antimicrobial defense of the skin. AQP3 and AQP10 are aqua-glyceroporins, known to transport glycerol as well as water. AQP3 is the predominant AQP in human skin and has previously been demonstrated in the basal layer of epidermis in normal human skin, but not in stratum corneum (SC). AQP10 has not previously been identified in human skin. Previous studies have demonstrated the presence of AQP3 and AQP10 mRNA in keratinocytes. In this study, our aim was to investigate if these aquaporin proteins were actually present in human SC cells. This can be seen as a first step toward elucidating the possible functional role of AQP3 and AQP10 in SC hydration. Specifically we investigate the presence of AQP3 and AQP10 in vivo in human SC using “minimal-invasive” technique for obtaining SC samples. SC samples were obtained from six healthy volunteers. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were used to demonstrate the presence of AQP3 as well as AQP10. The presence of AQP3 and AQP10 was verified by Western blotting, allowing for detection of proteins by specific antibodies. Applying immunohistochemistry, cell-like structures in the shape of corneocytes were identified in all samples by AQP3 and AQP10 antibodies. In conclusion, identification of AQP3 and AQP10 protein in SC in an in vivo model is new. Together with the new “minimal-invasive” method for SC collection presented, this opens for new possibilities to study the role of AQPs in relation to function of the skin barrier.

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Acknowledgments

The study was supported by a grant from the Augustinus Foundation as well as Aage Bang Foundation.

Conflict of interest

The authors state no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, Bispebjerg Hospital, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, 2400, Copenhagen NV, Denmark

    Jakob Mutanu Jungersted & Tove Agner

  2. Aquaporin A/S, Ole Maaløes Vej 3, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark

    Julie Bomholt, Niada Bajraktari, Kent Høier Nielsen & Claus Hélix-Nielsen

  3. Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Dyrlægevej 100, 1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark

    Julie Bomholt & Dan A. Klærke

  4. DTU-Physics, Technical University of Denmark, Fysikvej 309, 2800, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark

    Niada Bajraktari & Claus Hélix-Nielsen

  5. Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Bloom Walk 925, Office 105, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA

    Jesper Søndergaard Hansen

  6. Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 13, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Per Amstrup Pedersen

  7. Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Box 462, 405 30, Göteborg, Sweden

    Kristina Hedfalk

Authors
  1. Jakob Mutanu Jungersted
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  2. Julie Bomholt
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  3. Niada Bajraktari
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  4. Jesper Søndergaard Hansen
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  5. Dan A. Klærke
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  6. Per Amstrup Pedersen
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  7. Kristina Hedfalk
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  8. Kent Høier Nielsen
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  9. Tove Agner
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  10. Claus Hélix-Nielsen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tove Agner.

Additional information

J. M. Jungersted, J. Bomholt, T. Agner, and C. Hélix-Nielsen contributed equally.

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Jungersted, J.M., Bomholt, J., Bajraktari, N. et al. In vivo studies of aquaporins 3 and 10 in human stratum corneum. Arch Dermatol Res 305, 699–704 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-013-1365-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-013-1365-2

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